Tanoos told the Tribune Star of Terre Haute that his desire to challenge the four-term congressman was partially rooted in his work on disability cases and families using the 2010 health care law, which Bucshon voted to repeal.

“I can’t sit by and see that stripped away,” he said. “The Affordable Care Act did a good job of increasing coverage, but, of course, it needs to be tweaked.”

Tanoos has practiced law in California and Indiana and is a native of Terre Haute. He also said he planned to make income inequality a part of his campaign against Bucshon.

“We’ve just seen the gap grow between the rich and poor,” he said.

Tanoos is well known in Terre Haute from the 2014 film “The Drunk,” which was filmed in the area.

He co-wrote and starred in the movie, in which he played the fictional grandson of Socialist leader Eugene V. Debs, who was running for governor of Indiana.